Tipping off 2022-23
All 11 BIG EAST women’s basketball teams begin their 2022-23 seasons this week, including eight on Monday. The schedules tip off with a bang as the conference calendar features five opponents coming off NCAA Tournament appearances, three fresh off WNIT bids, including the 2022 champions, and three teams ranked or receiving votes in the national polls. The first top-25 showdown of the season features No. 21/21 Creighton at No. 23/24 South Dakota State at 8 p.m. ET. The Bluejays are coming off a trip to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, while the Jackrabbits won the 2022 WNIT. Other openers on Monday to keep an eye on include Dayton at Providence (7 p.m., FloSports) and a homecoming for BIG EAST Player of the Year Maddy Siegrist, who leads Villanova to her hometown to face Marist at 7 p.m. (ESPN3). For the full slate of games and how to follow, see below.
 
Naismith Trophy Watch List
The Atlanta Tipoff Club opened the college basketball season on Friday by releasing the 50 players on the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s Watch List. Included on that list were a trio of BIG EAST women’s basketball standouts: UConn’s Azzi Fudd, DePaul’s Aneesah Morrow and Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist. Morrow is the reigning national freshman of the year, Siegrist is the reigning BIG EAST Player of the Year and Fudd was a unanimous Preseason All-BIG EAST selection.
 
In The Polls
Four BIG EAST teams begin the season either ranked or receiving votes in both national polls. Reigning BIG EAST champion Connecticut is slotted No. 6 in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches’ Poll, while Creighton joins the Huskies in the top 25 at No. 21 in each poll. Coming off trips to the NCAA Tournament, DePaul and Villanova each received votes in both polls.
 
BIG EAST Preseason Recap
Coming off its 21^st regular-season title and 20^th BIG EAST Tournament crown, UConn was the unanimous preseason favorite in the conference’s coaches’ poll. Coming off its first appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight, Creighton was slotted second. Led by BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year Maddy Siegrist, Villanova was picked third, while fellow NCAA Tourney squad DePaul tied with WNIT runner-up Seton Hall for fourth. UConn rookie Ayanna Patterson, ranked fourth in the Class of 2022, was chosen BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year.
 
Consistency is Key
In an offseason full of turnover and transfers, the BIG EAST returns seven of nine major award winners from last year, including Player of the Year (Maddy Siegrist, Villanova), Freshman of the Year (Aneesah Morrow, DePaul), Coach of the Year (Denise Dillon, Villanova), Defensive Player of the Year (Nika Muhl, UConn), Sixth-Woman Award (Morgan Maly, Creighton), Sportsmanship Award Winner (Chloe Marotta, Marquette) and Most Improved Player (Lauren Jensen, Creighton).
 
Weekly Schedule
Monday – Nov. 7
Fairleigh Dickinson at Marquette, 1 p.m. Stats FloSports
Monmouth at St. John’s, 1 p.m. Stats FloSports
Salem at Georgetown, 2 p.m. Stats FloSports
Xavier at Miami (Ohio), 6 p.m. Stats ESPN3
RV/RV Villanova at Marist, 7 p.m. ESPN3  Stats
Saint Peter’s at Seton Hall, 7 p.m. Stats  FloSports
Dayton at Providence, 7 p.m. Stats FloSports
21/21 Creighton at 23/24 South Dakota State, 8 p.m. Stats Watch
Wednesday – Nov. 9
Chicago State at Butler, 7 p.m. Stats FloSports
American at RV/RV DePaul, 8 p.m. Stats FloSports
Thursday – Nov. 10
21/21 Creighton at RV/RV South Dakota, 8 p.m. Stats Watch
Northeastern at 6/6 UConn, 7 p.m. SNY^ Stats
Detroit Mercy at Xavier, 7 p.m. Stats FloSports
Friday – Nov. 11
RV/RV Villanova at 24/25 Princeton, 7 p.m. ESPN+ Stats
St. Francis (N.Y.) at St. John’s, 7 p.m. Stats FloSports
Holy Cross at Marquette, 8 p.m. Stats FloSports
Seton Hall at Rutgers, 7 p.m. BTN+ Stats
Stonehill at Providence, 7 p.m. Stats FloSports
Saturday – Nov. 12
RV/RV DePaul at Northern Illinois, 2 p.m. ESPN+ Stats
Georgetown at Temple, 4 p.m. Stats ESPN+
Sunday – Nov. 13
IUPUI at Butler, 2 p.m. Stats FloSports
Milwaukee at Marquette, 3 p.m. Stats FloSports
Saint Francis (Pa.) at Xavier, 6 p.m. Stats FloSports
All times Eastern
^Out of market SNY games can be streamed on the FOX Sports app